Paper web tensioning means for reel-fed printing presses



Sept. 27, 1932. iv, JAMES 1,879,901

PAPER WEB TENSIONING MEANS FOR REEL FED PRINTING PRESSES Filed Aug. 25; 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Sept. 27, 1932- HQV. JAMES PAPER WEB TENSIONING MEANS FOR REEL FED PHINTING PRESSE S 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 25, 1930 Patented Sept. 27, I932 UNITED STATES HENRY VINCENT JAMES, OF CINTRA, ENGLAND PAPER WEB rnivsronme MEANS FOR REEL-FED PRINTING rnnssns Application filed August 25, 1930, Serial No.

This invention relates to paper reel and web feed control apparatus for rotary print ing presses wherein the web is fed to the press continuously from successive reels which are supplied by a magazine reel feed system, anchored belts or bands being applied directly to the periphery of the reel in use for direct reel control and web tensioning purposes. 7

It is the usual practice to use a number of the said belts, generally four, tied between flexible floor anchorages at their one ends and a rotatable roller at their other ends located in such a positionthat the belts will be within the arc of the reel throughout its unwinding life, tensionbeing obtained by rotation of the roller actuated by solenoid or torque motor, or by weights suspended" directly by the belts, for the purposes of web feed tension and to prevent reel overrun at slow down or stoppage of the press.

My invention consists in improved means for rotating the belt tensioning roller-tor the purposes described and rimarily consists in an epicyclic or three-e ement gear having one element which I will refer to as the first, mechanically attached to and adapted to rotate the belt tensioning roller, another element, which I will call the second, driven by anelectric motor, and the remaining orthird element suitably electro-magnetically or:electrodynamically braked for'the purpose of varying the effort applied to the first element, 7 means being provided for regulating the brake torque of the third element;

In one method of carrying out my invention I employ two electro-dynamic machines of like characteristics and energize them from a suitable electricity'supply service, the two machines thereby normally rotating at like speeds but in relatively opposite directions without causing any movement of the first element but'by weakening the field of one of the electro-dynamic machines which I now refer to as'the electric motor coupled to the second element, rotary movement or tendency to movement is imparted to the first element corresponding in foot pounds or torque pounds to the increased speed of the electric motor and that of the second electro- Lil 477,772, and in Great Briianiira 29, 1930.:

dynamic machine which can be referred to now as the generator coupled to the third element, and the value of the energy-regen erated by the latter back into the line.

By this means actual movement or tendency to movement in torgue applied to the first element and the web tensioning roller to which it is geared is established corresponding to the increased speed of the electric motor and the output of the generator, whether the first element actually be rotated for the purpose of the required tensionon the belts or held under torque-tension for the purposes described.

A wide range of tension variation for web and reel control with great flexibility and sensitiveness of operation is obtained by-the use of the apparatus described and a variable resistance of ordinary type in the field of the electric motor, the system at the'same time being regenerative and economical.

Slack belts without tension are obtained either by deenergizing the two electro-dynamic machines or by re-establishing full equal effective voltage across the armatures and fields of both machines, under which condition they will run at like speeds but in reverse directions of rotation, no torque then being imparted'to the first element. ,Where the former method is :adopted and tension released by the de-energizing of the electrodynamic machines a like tension will be reestablished when same are re-energized providing the efiective field value of the electric motor has not meanwhile been altered.

Two of the ways in which the invention can be carried out are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of two'electrodynamic machines of like characteristic each coupled to one of two of the elements of a three-element gear;

Fig. 2 is an end view of such a gear and one of the electro-dynamic machines connctl edwith a belt tensioning roller, the belt being shown in contact with a reel;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a suitable three-element or epicyclicggear;

- Fig. 4 is a circuit'diagram showing how Cir the electro-dynamic machines are energized in parallel and how one of them is directly controlled with regard to speed;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of an alternative arrangement in which one of the electrodynamic machines of Fig. 1 is replaced by an electromagnetically controlled friction brake; and

Fig. 6 is an end view of such a brake with part of its associated control apparatus shown in diagram form.

In the example according to Figs. 1 to 4: the first element" of the three-element or epicyclic gear comprises a sprocket wheel 1 rigid with a carrier 2 for two planet wheels 3-3 meshing with the sun wheels 4 and 5 of the second and third elements respectively of the gear. The two latter elements include shafts 6 and 7 on the inner ends of which the wheels 4 and 5 are mounted and the outer ends of which are connected one with an electro-dynamic machine 8 and the other with an electro-dynamic machine 9. of like characteristic and oppositely rotatable with respect to machine 8.

lVhen the machines 8 and 9 are equally energized their sun wheels 4 and 5 rotate the planet wheels idly, the carrier 2 and the sprocket remaining stationary. Upon speec ing up the machine 8 by means ofa variable resistancelO in series with the field of 8 the wheels 33 climb over the wheel 5 and thus the carrier '2 and sprocket 1 are turned on shafts 6 and 7 and through a chain drive l11 2 turn a belt roller 13 whichtensions the belts such as 1a against the pull of springs 15 anchoring the bottoms of the belts so that the reel 16,.indicated in chain line, is retarded, due :to the contact between its periphery .and the belts, and the running web is :tensioned, to extents determined :by the difference in torque :pounds between the imachines 8 and 9, The machine 8 is slowed downby cutting-out the resistance in its field circuit,and.thereby brought to normal speed, the speed of the electro-dynamic machine 9 will likewise be reduced to normal at which point will develop a counter E. M. .F. equal to that of the line only, and thereupon run at the same speed as electro-dynamic machine 8,, when all turning effortand tendency on "the part ofelement 1 will cease and all parts-cometo and remain in normal condition.

In place of one of the machines 8 or 9 and the resistance 10 I may use an electromagnetically controlled friction brake .such as isshown .in Figs. 5 and 6. Normally the machine 8 rotates a brake drum '1-7-through the three-element gear which( -is identical with that shown in Fig. 4, the said drum rotating oppositely with respect to the :machine 8 and the carrier 2 of the'gear remaining stationary. When it is desiredjto tension the reel and web controlling belts (such as 14, Fig. .1) a solenoid '18 is-energized and retracts its core 19 which tilts an arm 20' and thereby presses spring-released friction shoes 21 into engagement with 'the inner periphery of the drum 17, so that the drum is retarded and retards the third element of the gear, whereupon the carrier 2 turns and turns the belt roller (such as 13, Fig. 2). In-order that the retarding effort may be varied a variable resistance 22 is arranged in series with the solenoid, the more the core is retracted the greater the retardation of the brake with correspondingly increased turning effort or'turning tendency of the carrier 2.

What I claim as my invention is 1. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and thepaper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a'

friction band which acts on the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and ten-' sioning the web, a tensioning roller for the band, and means fort-rotating the roller for tensioning the band to vary the effort of the band on the reel, said means comprising an epicyclic gear having three rotary elements,

a-coupling between one of said elements and the roller, anelectro-dynamic machine, a'couband von the reel, said means comprising an ep'icyclic gear having three rotary elements, a coupling between-one 01f saidzelementsand the roller, two electro-dynamic machines, .a coupling-between one of said electro dynamic machines :and anotherio'fzthe gear elements,

a couplingbetween the other of said .electrodynamic machines and the remaining gear element, :and control means :for altering'the speed of one of.rthe'ielectro-dynamic machines with respect to ithespeed ofthe other of such machines.v

3. In apparatus for :the control of a ro tary .paper reel and the paper web :-therefrom which suppliessa ,printing machine, a friction bandwhich acts-on'thereel for-restrainingthe rotation of :the reel and ten-'- sioning the web, a tensioning :roller for :the

band,,means for rotating theroller for tensioning the band to vary the effort of the band on thereel, said meanscomprising an eplcyclic gear having :three :rotary elements,

acoupling between: one of said elements and the:ro ller,;an electro-dyn-amlc 'machine,aa-cou plin'g between said machine and anotherof the gear elements, a friction brake coupled.

to the remaining element of the gear, and means for regulating the retarding effort of said brake.

4. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a friction band which acts on the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and tensioning the web, a tensioning roller for the band, means for rotating the roller for tensioning the band to vary the effort of the band on the reel, said means comprising an epicyclic gear having three rotary element's,

coupling between one of said elements and the roller, two electro-dynamic machines of like characteristic, a coupling between one electro-dynamic machine and another element of the gear, a coupling between the other electro-dynamic machine and the remaining element of the gear, and a variable resistance for altering the relative speeds of the two said electro-dynamic machines.

5. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a friction band which acts on the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and ten sioning the web, a tensioning roller for the band, means for rotating the roller for tensioning the band to vary the efiort of the band on the reel, said means comprising an epicyclic gear having three rotary elements, a coupling between one of the said elements and the roller, an electro-dynamic machine, a coupling between said machine and another of the gear elements, an electro-magnetic friction brake coupled to the remaining element of the gear, and a variable resistance for regulating the retarding effort of the said electro-magnetic friction brake.

6. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a friction band making contact with the periphery of the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and tensioning the said web, a rolls to which one end of the band is attached, an anchorage at the other end of the band and means for rotating the roller for tautening and slackening the belt and so varying the effort of the band on the reel, the means for rotating the roller comprising an epicyclic gear, a coupling between one element of the gear and the roller, an electro-dynamic machine, a coupling between this electrodynamic machine and another element of the gear, and means coupled to a further element of the gear for retarding the said further element and causing the electrodvnamic machine to impart a rotary turning effort to the element coupled to the roller and impart a like effort to the said roller.

7. In apparatus for the control of arotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a friction band'making contact with the periphery of the reel for restraining. the rotation of the reel and tensioning the web therefrom,a roller to which one end of the band is attached, an anchorage at the other end of the band and means for rotating the roller for tautening and slackening the belt and so varyingthe effort of he band on the reel, the means for rotating the roller comprising an epicyclic gear, a coupling between one element of the gear and the roller, two elec-" tic-dynamic machines, a coupling between her of the elements of the gear and one of the electro-dynamic machines and another coupling between a third element of the gear and the rema ning machine, and control means for al ing the speed of one of the electro-dynamic machines with respect to that of the other machine for the purpose of tra smitting, through the gear, a rotary turning effort to the element coupled to the roller.

8. In apparat is for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which sup "es a 1 "'n machine, a friction band making 'con act with the periphery of the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and tensioiiing. the said web, a roller to which one end of the hand is attached,an anchorage at the other end of the band, and means for rotating the roller for tautening and slackening the belt and so varying the effort of the band on the reel, the means for rotating the roller comprising an epicyclic gear, a coupling between one element of the and the roller, an electro-dynamic machine, a coupling-betweenthiselectro-dynamic machine and another element of the gear, a friction brake coupled to a further element of the gear, and means for regulating the retarding effort of the said brake to cause the electro-dynamic machine to impart, through the gear, a rotary turning efiort to the element coupled to the roller and to impart a like effort to the said roller.

9. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom which supplies a printing machine, a friction band making contact with the periphery of the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and tensioning the web therefrom, a roller to which one end of the band is attached, an anchorage at the other end of the band and means for rotating-the roller for tantening and slackening the belt and so varying the effort of the band on the reel, the means for rotating the roller comprising an epicyclic gear, a coupling between one element of the gear and the roller, two electro-dynamic machines of like characteristic, a coupling between another of the elements of the gear and one of the electro-dynamic machines and another coupling between a thirdelement of the gear and the remaining machine, and a variable resistance for altering the relative speeds of the two electrodynamic machines for the purpose of transmitting, through the gear, a rotary turning effort to the element coupled to the roller.

10. In apparatus for the control of a rotary paper reel and the paper web therefrom Which supplies a printing machine, a friction band making contact with the periphery of the reel for restraining the rotation of the reel and tensioning the said web, a roller to which one end of the band is attached, an anchorage at the other end of the band and means for rotating the roller for tautening I and slackening the belt and so Varying theef'fort of the band on the reel, the means for rotating the roller comprising an epicyclic gear, a coupling between one element of the gear and the roller, an electro-dynamic machine, a coupling between thiselectro-dynamic machine and another element of the gear, an electro-magnetic friction brake coupled to a further element of the gear, and a variable resistance for regulating the retarding efiort of the said electro-magnetic friction brake for retarding the said further element and causing the electro-dynamic machine to impart, through the gear, a rotary turning effort to the element coupled to the roller.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

HENRY VINCENT JAMES. 

